Mathias Kiwanuka: “I haven’t been held this much since I was a baby”

Most level-headed observers of Wednesday night’s season opening game between the Giants and the Cowboys would say that the replacement referees did a pretty good job.

And though, they’ve had their issues here and there, it would be tough to argue that they had impacted the game in a negative way. But there is one aspect of their job that Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka says the replacement referees didn’t do so well at. And that’s identifying offensive holding. Especially offensive holding by the Cowboys offensive line.

“I haven’t been held this much since I was a baby”, Kiwanuka told Steve Politi of The Star-Ledger.

To Kiwanuka’s credit, he acknowledges the tough spot replacement referees have been put in, but he makes it clear that there is a clear difference between the replacements and the regulars.

“You’ve got to understand that these refs have been put in a tough situation, without having weeks, months, years to prepare like the other refs had,” he said. “It’s definitely tough to come in and pick up the nuances of the NFL. I tip my hats to them, but you notice when the real refs aren’t out there.”

Kiwanuka better get used to this because it seems that replacements will be on the field for at least a few more weeks.